Synopsis: Not as planned, but a pleasant walk all the same. Obstructed by ‘No public right of way’ signs around the Fleet estate. Then the tide cut my progress at Mothecombe.
And yet again, not at all the walk that I’d planned. The reason this time was two fold. Firstly I encountered ‘Private – No Public Right of Way’ signs around the Fleet estate, that barred my progress, and then, attempting a detour via Mothecombe, I was just a little too late and the tide thwarted my progress, making it impossible to cross at the mouth of the River Erme. Still, the sun shone for most of the day, and I did at least get to do part of my walk.
Totnes QuayI started out early, as I needed to be in Totnes in time to catch the 9 o’clock bus that would drop me just short of Holbeton. On arriving in Totnes I had 45 minutes to spare before my connecting bus was due, so I wandered around the Totnes quay area to while away some time. There was still the lingering remains of a thick coastal fog that we entered on approaching Totnes.
Totnes Quay
There was a elderly gentleman seemingly picking up rubbish who spoke to me as I passed. He was lamenting the passage of days when he could look into the river and see large mullet swimming there. He said the poor state of the water meant these were no longer to be seen in the river. He was also telling me how the area where we were standing can flood on a very high tide. I’m not sure I’d be comfortable living quite so close to the forces of nature.
Totnes - 12th century mill
There is an old mill that apparently operated from the 12th century through to 1946, which is quite some working history. Apparently it was first operated by the tide (not quite sure how that worked), but when this proved inadequate, a leat was subsequently added to feed water from the River Dart, which gave the mill more power (further information and web links in photo description). The old water wheel can be seen in place today. The building now serves as the town’s tourist information office.
I picked up the Country Bus punctually at 9 am. The people travelling on it seemed to know the driver well, and asked him about his recent holiday in Gran Canary, which apparently he enjoyed, experiencing temperatures of 85F. Although he did have to suffer an onslaught of Spanish nationals, as his holiday coincided with a Spanish Bank Holiday.
Holbeton church - burial tomb of the Baronness of FleteDropped from the bus I wended my way down the lanes in the direction of Holbeton. This is a very picturesque village, dotted with thatched cottages. The village church holds a commanding position high above the village centre. I took a little time out to look around the church, which is surprisingly grand in scale for such a small village. I think this could be by virtue of Fleet patronage, as there are certainly ancestors buried in the church.
Efford House (or is that Barton Cottage?)
A little way beyond the village I picked up a bridle way that ran in the direction of Efford House. This may seem a little bit familiar to you, particularly if you’ve a taste for Jane Austen. It was the film location for Jane Austen’s Barton Cottage in the film Sense and Sensibility starring Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant.
It was here that I was greeted with the ‘private’ signs covering both directions up and down river. As it didn’t exactly say ‘keep out’, I decided to follow my intended course up river. I was making good progress for a while, but on coming to an intersection with a track I was greeted with a definite ‘No access without the express permission of the Fleet Estate’. I presumed they didn’t want me there!
Mothecombe beachMy plan be was to walk back to Holbeton and then circle around to Mothecombe where, if I caught the tide right, I might be able to wade across the mouth of the river. Unfortunately I was just a little too late, and didn’t fancy tackling the crossing when I looked on. That was the termination of plan B.
I decided, in defeat, to find a nice spot on Mothecombe beach to have my lunch. Having started out early, I was in need of some sustenance.
After lunch I looked at the map to decide on options. All I could really do was find a route that would get me relatively quickly to a bus. I considered walking the coastal path to Noss Mayo, which would have been nice, but I couldn’t have been sure I’d make the last bus out of the village, so it wasn’t really an option. I determined my best plan was to walk to Yealmpton, as buses frequently run through this village both in the direction of Plymouth and Kingsbridge, either of which would have got me on my way. As it happens I just made it in time to catch a 94 for Plymouth, which was perfect.
On my way to Yealmpton I did see my first swallow of the year. It was nice to see this harbinger of summer sitting there on a telephone wire, probably resting after a long flight from wherever it had overwintered.
A day of some frustrations but as always, it’s hard not to have a good days walking in Devon, and today was no exception. I had walked through some lovely countryside, seen nice villages, and lazed for a while on a most beautiful beach. Really very little to complain about, unless you were a grumpy old man. That’s not me just yet!
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 11.6 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 10min
Stopped Time: 36min
Total Ascent: 450 metres
Maximum Elevation: 111 metres
Buses: X64, 93, 94 & X38
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